scholarly journals Differences in Muscle Strength of the Dominant and Non-Dominant Leg of High Performance Female Athletes

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (88) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Sadauskaitė Zarembienė ◽  
Renata Žumbakytė Šermukšnienė ◽  
Mantas Mickevičius
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Strength ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Knee Extensors ◽  
Adductor Muscles ◽  
Extensor Muscles ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Hip Abductor ◽  
Muscle Groups

Research  background  and  hypothesis.  According  research  literature,  the  imbalance  of  hip  muscles  in  the dominant and non-dominant leg can cause wear and tear of the knee joint or tendinitis. Therefore the study was carried out to determine whether there were differences in muscle strength and if muscle differences had influence  on knee joints of dominant and non-dominant legs for high performance women athletes. Research aim was to compare muscle strength of knee flexor, extensor and hip abductor, adductor muscles of the dominant and non-dominant legs for high performance female athletes.Research methods. There were 53 high performance female athletes participating in the study, whose maximum strength of flexor and extensor muscles of knee, as well as abductor and adductor muscles of hip had been measured using a dynamometer MMT – Manual Muscle Tester. Research results. The strength of flexor and extensor muscles of knee of the non-dominant leg was significantly higher than that of the dominant leg. There was no statistically significant difference in strength of abductor and adductor muscles of the dominant and non-dominant leg.Discussion and conclusions. The strength of flexor and extensor muscles of knee of non-dominating leg for high performance female athletes was significantly greater than muscle strength of the dominant leg. There was no statistically significant difference in the strength of the abductor and adductor muscles of hip of the dominant and non-dominant leg. It is advisable to develop exercises to strengthen these muscle groups in order to prevent knee injury in the future.Keywords: knee flexors, knee extensors, hip abductors, hip adduction.

Reliability and validity of hand-held dynamometry for assessing lower limb muscle strength

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Tjaša Lipovšek ◽  
Alan Kacin ◽  
Urška Puh
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Knee Extensors ◽  
Lower Limb Muscle ◽  
Limb Muscle ◽  
Rater Reliability ◽  
Extensor Muscles ◽  
Good For ◽  
Muscle Groups

BACKGROUND: Hand-held dynamometry (HHD) is used to assess muscle strength in various patient populations, but many variations in protocols exist. OBJECTIVE: First, to systematically develop a protocol of HHD for all lower limb muscle groups and evaluate intra-rater reliability; second, to validate HHD with fixed dynamometry for the knee flexor and extensor muscles. METHODS: Thirty healthy young adults (women: men – 15:15) participated in two testing sessions. HHD of 12 lower limb muscle groups was performed in both sessions, while fixed dynamometry of knee muscle groups was performed only in the second session. RESULTS: The intra-rater reliability of HHD was good for five muscle groups and excellent for seven muscle groups (ICC3, k= 0.80–0.96). The criterion validity of HHD ranged from very good to excellent for the knee flexors (r= 0.77–0.89) and from good to very good for the knee extensors (r= 0.65–0.78). However, peak moment values for the knee extensor muscles were underestimated by 32% (p< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed HHD protocol provides reliable and valid measurements of lower limb muscle isometric strength in healthy adults, which may also be used to test patients with mild muscle strength deficits. However, possible underestimation of absolute strength must be considered when interpreting the results of knee extensors or other large muscles.

scholarly journals Isokinetic Profile of Elite Serbian Female Judoists

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6988
Author(s):  
Wieslaw Blach ◽  
Miodrag Drapsin ◽  
Nemanja Lakicevic ◽  
Antonino Bianco ◽  
Tamara Gavrilovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knee Extensors ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
Lateral Asymmetry ◽  
National Team ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Judo Athletes ◽  
Muscle Groups ◽  
Torque Values ◽  
Training Modalities ◽  
Knee Flexors

Elite judo athletes undergo vigorous training to achieve outstanding results. In pursuit of achieving competitive success, the occurrence of injuries amongst judo athletes is not rare. The study aimed to perform a knee flexors and extensors isokinetic torque analysis in elite female judo athletes. Fifty-eight elite female judo athletes of the Serbian national team (21.02 ± 3.11 years; 62.36 ± 11.91 kg, 165.04 ± 10.24 cm, training experience 12.72 ± 2.98 years) volunteered to participate in this study. The range of motion (ROM) was set at 90⁰. Testing was performed in a concentric–concentric mode for the testing speed of 60 ⁰/s. Five maximal voluntary contractions of knee extensors and knee flexors muscle groups were measured for both legs. The obtained data showed a statistically significant difference in absolute torque values among different categories as heavier athletes demonstrated higher values. Post hoc analysis showed a significant difference between weight categories, as heavier athletes demonstrated higher values, while no significant differences in normalized torque values for different weight categories were observed. The implementation of new elements and training modalities may improve performance and prevent lateral asymmetry, thus reducing the risk of injury.

scholarly journals Exercise tolerance during muscle contractions below and above the critical torque in different muscle groups

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Henrique Perinotto Abdalla ◽  
Benedito Sérgio Denadai ◽  
Natália Menezes Bassan ◽  
Camila Coelho Greco
Keyword(s):  
Exercise Intensity ◽  
Maximal Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Exercise Tolerance ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Knee Extensors ◽  
Isometric Contractions ◽  
Plantar Flexors ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Muscle Groups

The objective of this study was to test the hypotheses that end-test torque (ET) (expressed as % maximal voluntary contraction; MVC) is higher for plantar flexors (PF) than knee extensors (KE) muscles, whereas impulse above ET (IET) is higher for KE than PF. Thus, we expected that exercise tolerance would be longer for KE than PF only during the exercise performed above ET. After the determination of MVC, 40 men performed two 5-min all-out tests to determine ET and IET. Eleven participants performed a further 4 intermittent isometric tests, to exhaustion, at ET + 5% and ET – 5%, and 1 test for KE at the exercise intensity (%MVC) corresponding to ET + 5% of PF. The IET (7243.2 ± 1942.9 vs. 3357.4 ± 1132.3 N·m·s) and ET (84.4 ± 24.8 vs. 73.9 ± 19.5 N·m) were significantly lower in PF compared with KE. The exercise tolerance was significantly longer for PF (300.7 ± 156.7 s) than KE (156.7 ± 104.3 s) at similar %MVC (∼60%), and significantly shorter for PF (300.7 ± 156.7 s) than KE (697.0 ± 243.7 s) at ET + 5% condition. However, no significant difference was observed for ET – 5% condition (KE = 1030.2 ± 495.4 s vs. PF = 1028.3 ± 514.4 s). Thus, the limit of tolerance during submaximal isometric contractions is influenced by absolute MVC only during exercise performed above ET, which seems to be explained by differences on both ET (expressed as %MVC) and IET values.

scholarly journals Development of Lower Extremity Strength in Ambulatory Children With Bilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy in Comparison With Typically Developing Controls Using Absolute and Normalized to Body Weight Force Values

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolaos Darras ◽  
Eirini Nikaina ◽  
Magda Tziomaki ◽  
Georgios Gkrimas ◽  
Antigone Papavasiliou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Knee Extensors ◽  
Spastic Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Antagonist Muscles ◽  
Muscle Groups

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the development of lower limb voluntary strength in 160 ambulatory patients with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP) (106 diplegics/54 quadriplegics) and 86 typically developing (TD) controls, aged 7–16 years. Handheld dynamometry was used to measure isometric strength of seven muscle groups (hip adductors and abductors, hip extensors and flexors, knee extensors and flexors, and ankle dorsiflexors); absolute force (AF) values in pounds were collected, which were then normalized to body weight (NF). AF values increased with increasing age (p &lt; 0.001 for all muscle groups), whereas NF values decreased through adolescence (p &lt; 0.001 for all muscle groups except for hip abduction where p = 0.022), indicating that increases in weight through adolescence led to decreases in relative force. Both AF and NF values were significantly greater in TD subjects when compared with children with CP in all muscle and all age groups (p &lt; 0.001). Diplegics and quadriplegics demonstrated consistently lower force values than TD subjects for all muscle groups, except for the hip extensors where TD children had similar values with diplegics (p = 0.726) but higher than quadriplegics (p = 0.001). Diplegic patients also exhibited higher values than quadriplegics in all muscles, except for the knee extensors where their difference was only indicative (p = 0.056). The conversion of CP subjects' force values as a percentage of the TD subjects' mean value revealed a pattern of significant muscle strength imbalance between the CP antagonist muscles, documented from the following deficit differences for the CP muscle couples: (hip extensors 13%) / (hip flexors 32%), (adductors 27%) / (abductors 52%), and (knee extensors 37%) / (knee flexors 53%). This pattern was evident in all age groups. Similarly, significant force deficiencies were identified in GMFCS III/IV patients when compared with TD children and GMFCS I/II patients. In this study, we demonstrated that children and adolescents with bilateral CP exhibited lower strength values in lower limb muscles when compared with their TD counterparts. This difference was more prevalent in quadriplegic patients and those with a more severe impairment. An important pattern of muscle strength imbalance between the antagonist muscles of the CP subjects was revealed.

Strength training counteracts motor performance losses during bed rest

2003 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 1485-1492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minoru Shinohara ◽  
Yasuhide Yoshitake ◽  
Motoki Kouzaki ◽  
Hideoki Fukuoka ◽  
Tetsuo Fukunaga
Keyword(s):  
Strength Training ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Vastus Lateralis ◽  
Knee Extensor ◽  
Bed Rest ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Knee Extensors ◽  
Extensor Muscles ◽  
Muscle Groups

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of bed rest with or without strength training on torque fluctuations and activation strategy of the muscles. Twelve young men participated in a 20-day bed rest study. Subjects were divided into a non-training group (BRCon) and a strength-training group (BRTr). The training comprised dynamic calf-raise and leg-press exercises. Before and after bed rest, subjects performed maximal contractions and steady submaximal isometric contractions of the ankle extensor muscles and of the knee extensor muscles (2.5-10% of maximal torque). Maximal torque decreased for both the ankle extensors (9%, P < 0.05) and knee extensors (16%, P < 0.05) in BRCon but not in BRTr. For the ankle extensors, the coefficient of variation (CV) for torque increased in both groups ( P < 0.05), with a greater amount ( P < 0.05) in BRCon (88%) compared with BRTr (41%). For the knee extensors, an increase in the CV for torque was observed only in BRCon (22%). The increase in the CV for torque in BRCon accompanied the greater changes in electromyogram amplitude of medial gastrocnemius (122%) and vastus lateralis (59%) compared with BRTr ( P < 0.05). The results indicate that fluctuations in torque during submaximal contractions of the extensor muscles in the leg increase after bed rest and that strength training counteracted the decline in performance. The response varied across muscle groups. Alterations in muscle activation may lead to an increase in fluctuations in motor output after bed rest.

A cross-sectional study of muscle strength and mass in 45- to 78-yr-old men and women

1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 644-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. R. Frontera ◽  
V. A. Hughes ◽  
K. J. Lutz ◽  
W. J. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Peak Torque ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Fat Free Mass ◽  
Knee Extensors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Muscle Groups ◽  
Old Men

The isokinetic strength of the elbow and knee extensors and flexors was measured in 200 healthy 45- to 78-yr-old men and women to examine the relationship between muscle strength, age, and body composition. Peak torque was measured at 60 and 240 degrees/s in the knee and at 60 and 180 degrees/s in the elbow by use of a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer. Fat-free mass (FFM) was estimated by hydrostatic weighing in all subjects, and muscle mass (MM) was determined in 141 subjects from urinary creatinine excretion. FFM and MM were significantly lower (P less than 0.001) in the oldest group. Strength of all muscle groups at both testing speeds was significantly (P less than 0.006) lower (range 15.5–26.7%) in the 65- to 78- than in the 45- to 54-yr-old men and women. When strength was adjusted for FFM or MM, the age-related differences were not significant in all muscle groups except the knee extensors tested at 240 degrees/s. Absolute strength of the women ranged from 42.2 to 62.8% that of men. When strength was expressed per kilogram of MM, these gender differences were smaller and/or not present. These data suggest that MM is a major determinant of the age- and gender-related differences in skeletal muscle strength. Furthermore, this finding is, to a large extent, independent of muscle location (upper vs. lower extremities) and function (extension vs. flexion).

scholarly journals Effects of TRX Suspension Training on Proprioception and Muscle Strength in Female Athletes with Functional Ankle Instability

2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Khorjahani ◽  
Masoud Mirmoezzi ◽  
Mina Bagheri ◽  
Mohammad Kalantariyan
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Ankle Instability ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Test Phase ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Functional Ankle Instability ◽  
Muscle Testing ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Post Test

Background: Functional ankle instability (FAI) is a common consequence of ankle sprain injury, especially in high-impact sports. Objectives: To investigate the effect of six weeks of suspension training with total resistance exercises (TRX) on proprioception and muscle strength in female athletes with FAI. Methods: Thirty female athletes with FAI (age: 21.9 ± 2.2 years, height: 169.3 ± 4.2 cm, and weight: 59.8 ± 6.1 kg) were randomly assigned to two equally numbered groups: TRX training and controls based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the pre-test, the anthropometric variables and also proprioception accuracy and muscle strength of subjects were evaluated by joint angle reset test (JART) and manual muscle testing (MMT) in both dorsiflexion and plantarflexion motions. The training group completed three sessions per week with progressive load for six weeks, and each training session lasted 15 - 20 minutes, whilst control subjects continued with their normal activity without special sport activities. After six weeks of training, all tests performed in the pre-test phase were also performed in the post-test phase. The t-test was used for statistic analysis (α ≤ 0.05). Results: The findings showed that TRX training significantly improved the proprioception accuracy (P ≤ 0.001) and muscle strength (P ≤ 0.001) in the training group rather than the control group. No statistically significant difference was found in any of the tests between pre-test and post-test for the control group (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Six weeks of TRX suspension training had a positive effect on strength and proprioception accuracy in female athletes with FAI.

scholarly journals The Coaching Needs of High Performance Female Athletes within the Coach-Athlete Dyad

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne Norman
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Positive Communication ◽  
Responsive Coaching ◽  
Coaching Preferences

Within the research literature there is little work that has examined how coaches (and coaching) can positively influence female athletes’ continued participation and development in performance sport. One barrier that has been recently cited that prevents more women from progressing in sport is the inability of coaches to understand how to engage their female athletes. With this in mind, utilising a phenomenological approach, the current study focused on the coaching preferences of female athletes within the elite coach-athlete dyad. Through interviews with 27 current high performance female athletes, four major coaching needs were found. These were: to be supported as a person as well a performer, coaching to be a joint endeavour, the need for positive communication, and recognition of the salience of gender within the coach-athlete dyad. The findings highlight the complexities and contradictions that are inherent within such a relationship, but ultimately provide evidence that the relational expertise of coaches is at the forefront of these women’s coaching needs. The present study also demonstrates that gender is a salient influence on the coach-athlete relationship. Such findings hold practical significance through demonstrating the need for gender-responsive coaching practitioners.

scholarly journals Effect of exercise therapy combined with branched-chain amino acid supplementation on muscle strengthening in persons with osteoarthritis

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (01) ◽  
pp. 23-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Ikeda ◽  
Tetsuya Jinno ◽  
Tadashi Masuda ◽  
Junya Aizawa ◽  
Kazunari Ninomiya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Exercise Therapy ◽  
Contralateral Side ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Abductor Muscle ◽  
Branched Chain Amino Acid ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Hip Abductor ◽  
Branched Chain

Background: Improving lower limb muscle strength is important in preventing progression of osteoarthritis (OA) and its symptoms. Exercise with branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation has been reported to affect protein anabolism in young and elderly persons. However, few studies provided daily BCAAs for patients with OA. Objective: This study examined the effects of combined BCAAs and exercise therapy on physical function improvement in women with hip OA scheduled for total hip arthroplasty. Methods: The subjects were 43 women with OA (age: 64.2[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]9.4). The participants were randomly divided into two groups: BCAA ([Formula: see text]) and control ([Formula: see text]). The combined therapy was carried out for one month. Exercise intervention involved hip abductor muscle exercise in both groups. For the nutritional intervention, 6[Formula: see text]g of BCAAs or 1.2[Formula: see text]g of starch were consumed within 10[Formula: see text]min before starting the exercise. Results: There was a marginally significant difference in the main effect between the groups in 10-m timed gait time. The improvement rate in hip abductor muscle strength of the contralateral side was significantly greater in the BCAA group. Conclusion: By combining BCAA intake and exercise therapy, a significant improvement in hip abductor muscle strength of the contralateral side was achieved in women with OA.

scholarly journals The Effects of Lower Extremity Muscle Fatigue on Dynamic Balance in Volleyball Players

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-58
Author(s):  
Nastaran Ghotbi ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Muscle Fatigue ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Knee Extensors ◽  
Balance Test ◽  
Lower Extremity Muscle ◽  
Adductor Muscles ◽  
Volleyball Players ◽  
Muscle Groups

Objectives: Lower extremity muscles are critical for maintaining dynamic balance and athletic performance. Fatigue of these muscles may affect dynamic balance. It is unclear whether fatigue in a particular muscle group can affect dynamic balance more than that in other groups. This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effects of fatigue in 5 muscle groups on dynamic balance in volleyball players. Methods: Fifteen healthy male volleyball players separately performed the Star Excursion Balance Test before and immediately after the occurrence of fatigue of ankle Plantar Flexor (PF), knee extensor, knee flexor, hip abductor, and hip adductor muscles. Composite reach distance and distance in anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions were recorded, accordingly. Results: Repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) data indicated that fatigue of all muscle groups significantly decreased the mean score of composite (P<0.001). Anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral distance scores decreased following muscle fatigue of knee extensors and ankle PFs (P<0.05). Discussion: This study suggested that regarding composite reach score, fatigue of ankle, knee, and hip muscles similarly decreased dynamic balance. However, evaluating three main directions revealed that knee extensors and ankle PFs muscles fatigue presented more prominent effects on the explored volleyball players’ balance, compared to the other muscles.

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